Foot operated piano playing device

ABSTRACT

A foot operated piano playing device comprising 13 foot pedals which are operatively connected to the bass keys of the piano. Each of the foot pedals are operatively connected to a pair of bass keys so that the depression of the pedal will cause the keys to vibrate two piano strings to sound a given octave. The linkage connecting the foot pedal to the keys is designed so that all of the key actuator rods are positioned in the same vertical plane. The design of the linkage permits the keys to be actuated with equal amounts of &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;push&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; pressure.

United States Patent [191 [11] 3,78%,722 Hanes 5] Feb. 5, 1974 1 FOOTOPERATED PIANO PLAYING Primary ExaminerLawrence R. Franklin DEVICEAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Zarley, McKee, Thomte & Voorkees 5 7] ABSTRACTA foot operated piano playing device comprising 13 foot pedals which areoperatively connected to the bass keys of the piano. Each of the footpedals are operatively connected to a pair of bass keys so that thedepression of the pedal will cause the keys to vibrate two piano stringsto sound a given octave. The linkage connecting the foot pedal to thekeys is designed so that all of the key actuator rods are positioned inthe same vertical plane. The design of the linkage permits the keys tobe actuated with equal amounts of push pressure.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION amount of work.In conventional organs, the bass pedals do more than one-half of thework since they play the heavy low notes while the left hand plays thechords so that the division of the work permits the organ to become aneasy instrument to play.

Conventional pianos are somewhat limited in the rhythms which are ableto be played thereon. Additionally, handicapped persons find itdifficult to play conventional pianos.

' Therefore, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a footoperated piano playing device.

A further object of theinvention is to provide a foot operated pianoplaying device for actuating the bass keys of the piano to sound a givenoctave.

A further object of the invention is to provide a foot operated pianoplaying device including spanner elements designed to actuate a pair ofspaced apart bass keys so as to sound a given octave.

A further object of the invention is to provide a foot operated pianoplaying device which permits a piano to be played by handicappedpersons. A further object of the invention is to provide a foot operatedpiano playing device which permits a greater number of rhythms to beplayed than is possible on conventionalpiano'sL A further object of theinvention is to provide a foot operated piano playing device whichpermits organ players to readily adapt to the piano.

Afurther object of the invention is to provide a foot operated pianoplaying device wherein the bass keys are actuated with thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide a foot operated pianoplaying device which requires very little lubrication. v

A further object of the invention is to provide a foot operated pianoplaying device which is economical of manufacture, durable in use andrefined in appearance.

equal amounts of push pressure These and other objects will be apparentto those skilled, in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS This invention consists in theconstruction, arrangements and combination of the various parts of thedevice, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinaftermore fully set forth, specifically pointed out in the claims, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

,FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a piano having the device ofthis invention mounted thereon:

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view seen along lines 2 2 of FIG. 1:

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to that seen in FIG. 2:

2 FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view illustrating the foot pedal and itsconnection to the push rod: I FIG. 5 is a schematicview illustrating themanner in which the various bass keys are actuated; and

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of one of the spanner elements.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The numeral 10 refers generallyto a conventional piano having a keyboard 12. The numeral 14 refers tothe bass keys on the keyboard which are pivotally mounted on the pivot16. Each of the keys 14 are operatively connected to its respectivepiano string in conventional fashion so that depression of the key willcause the strings to be sounded.

The numeral 18 refers to a foot pedal assembly comprising thirteen footpedals 20 which are pivotally mounted as will be explained in moredetail hereinafter. Inasmuch as each of the foot pedals aresubstantially identical, only one pedal 20 will be described in detail.As seen in FIG. 4, a collar.22 is secured topedal 20 by welding or thelike. Pin 24 extends through ears 26 and 28 and the collar 22 to providethe pivotal connection between the pedal 20 and the support 30 to whichthe ears 26 and 28 are welded. The upper end of the pedal 20 is providedwith a horizontally disposed portion 32 which normally engages thehorizontal portion 34 of the support 30.

Nut 36 is welded to pedal 20 as seen in FIG. 4 and has a bolt member 38threadably extending therethrough. Return spring 40 is mounted on theinnerend of the bolt 38 and engages the support member 30 as seen inFIG. 4 to maintain the pedal 20 in the position of FIG. 4. The boltmember 38 may be adjustably threadably moved with respect to the nut 36to provide an adjustment forv the amount of depression of the pedal. Itcan be seen that the inner end of the bolt 38 will engage the supportmember 30 and any threadable adjustment of the bolt member 38 withrespect to the nut 36 will change the amount of depression permitted tothe pedal 20.

Nut 42 is welded to the upper surface of horizontal portion 32 of pedal20 and has a bolt 44 threadably received therein. A lock nut 46 isthreadably mounted on the bolt 44 to securely lock the bolt 44 in thenut 42 and to permit adjustment therebetween. An adjustment nut 48 isalso threadably mounted on the bolt'44 as seen in FIg. 4. Bolt 44 isprovided with an opening 50 formed therein which is adapted to receiverod 52 therein. Collar 54 embraces bolt 44 between the nut 48 and theopening 50 so that upward threadable movemerit of the nut 48 will urgethe collar 54 into engagement with the rod 52 to prevent movement of rod52 in the opening 50. It can also be seen that the collar 54 and nut 48permit the rod 52 to be adjustably positioned in the opening 50 asdesired. 1

Rod 52 is provided with an eye portion 56 on its inner end adapted toreceive the lower end of rod 58 which is provided with external threadsat the lower end thereof. A pair of adjustment nuts 60 and 62 arethreadably mounted on the rod 58 as seen in FIG. 4 to securely fasten arod 58 to the rod 52 and to permit the vertical adjustment of rod 58with respectto eye portion 56. The numerals 64 and 66 refer to feltwashers positioned between the nuts 60 and 62 and the eye portion 56respectively.

' tively and extend through suitable openings 80 formed in the member 82positioned beneath the keys. Opening 80 is provided with an enlargedportion 84 at its upper end which receives an O-ring 86. Each of thepush rods extend through the O-ring 86 and has a felt disc 90 secured toits upper end which is adapted to engage the underside of the key. Ifdesired, the disc 90 can be secured to the underside of the key. A feltwasher 92 embraces the upper end of the push rod beneath the upper endportion as seen in FIG. 3. The push rods 76 and 78 are spaced apart soas to engage the bass keys which are positioned an octave apart.

Nut 94 is secured to the forward side of horizontally disposed portion70 and threadably receives the upper end of the rod 58 as illustrated inFIG. 3. Lock nut 96 is also threadably mounted on the upper end of therod 58 to prevent rotation of the rod 58 with respect to the nut 94 andto permit the length adjustment of the rod 58 with respect to the nut94. As previously stated, each of the spanner elements 68 aresubstantially identical. The only difference in the various spannerelements is in the vertical height of the push rods 76 and 78 asdepicted in FIG. 5. The difference in the vertical height of the pushrods and the offset of the push rods with respect to the horizontallydisposed portion 70 together with the offset of the nut 94 with respectto the horizontally disposed portion 70 permits the spanner elements tobe positioned beneath the keys so that all of the push rods are disposedin the same vertical plane. The relationship just described also permitsall of the rods 58 to be positioned in the same vertical plane. FIG.illustrates the fact that the push rods of the respective-spannerelements 68 engage the bass keys of the piano an octave apart. The pushrod 78 on the left hand spanner element 70 and the push rod 76 on theright hand spanner element 68 engage the same bass key which is referredto generally by the reference numeral 98. The fact thattwo push rodsengage the same key requires one of the push rods to be slightly bent topermit their positioning. 1

The apparatus of this'invention permits a person who is familiar with anorgan but unfamiliar with a piano to readily adapt to the piano'sincethe foot pedals may be individually depressed to actuate the bass keysof the piano. The bass keys will be actuated an octave apart. The factthat all of the push rods of the spanner elements are in the samevertical plane and the fact that all of the rods 58 are in the sameplane results in the keys being able to be actuated with an equal amountof push pressure. In other words, it does not require different pushpressure to actuate the different bass keys.

ratus'of this invention also permits the piano to be played to achievedifferent rhythms, for example shuffle, rumba, cha-cha, waltz,four/four-two beat, four beat bass, four beat bass with double lead,etc.

Thus, it can be seen that a novel foot operated piano playing device hasbeen disclosed which permits the bass keys of the piano to be actuatedso as to sound the piano strings an octave apart upon depression of anindividual foot pedal. It can therefore be seen that the inventionaccomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

I claim:

1. In combination,

a piano having a key board with a plurality of pivotally mounted keys,said key board including a bass section including a plurality of basskeys; said piano including a plurality of strings, actuating meansconnecting said keys and said strings whereby the depression of a givenkey will cause a given string each of said connection means comprising afirst vertically movable rod means operatively secured to said footpedal, and a spanner element secured to said first rod means comprisingfirst and second spaced apart push rods adapted to engage and pivotallymove said pair of bass keys upon said depression of said pedal, each ofsaid spanner elements also comprising a horizontally disposed portionhaving opposite ends, first and second end portions extending laterallyfrom the opposite ends of said horizontally disposed portion, said firstand second push rods extending from said first and second end portionsrespectively,

all of said first rod means being aligned,

said horizontally disposed portions being off-set with respect to saidfirst rod means,

each of said first rods having different lengths with the smallestdifference in length being greater than the travel of the rodmeans whenactuated,

- said push rods on each spanner element having a complementary lengthwith respect to the other push rods to bring the operative ends of thepush rods to the same horizontal level under the keys.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said first rod means arevertically adjustably secured to said spanner elements.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein all of said first rod means dwellin the same vertical plane.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein an adjustable stop means issecured to each of said pedals to limit the depression of said pedal.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein a return spring is operativelysecured to said adjustable stop means to return said pedal fromits-depressed position.

the longitudinal axis of said first rod means.

1. In combination, a piano having a key board with a plurality ofpivotally mounted keys, said key board including a bass sectionincluding a plurality of bass keys; said piano including a plurality ofstrings, actuating means connecting said keys and said strings wherebythe depression of a given key will cause a given string to vibrate sothat a given musical note will be sounded, a foot pedal assemblyincluding a plurality of pivotally mounted foot pedals, connection meansconnecting each foot pedal to a pair of spaced apart bass keys wherebythe depression of a given pedal will cause said paIr of bass keys tovibrate a plurality of strings to sound a given octave, each of saidconnection means comprising a first vertically movable rod meansoperatively secured to said foot pedal, and a spanner element secured tosaid first rod means comprising first and second spaced apart push rodsadapted to engage and pivotally move said pair of bass keys upon saiddepression of said pedal, each of said spanner elements also comprisinga horizontally disposed portion having opposite ends, first and secondend portions extending laterally from the opposite ends of saidhorizontally disposed portion, said first and second push rods extendingfrom said first and second end portions respectively, all of said firstrod means being aligned, said horizontally disposed portions beingoff-set with respect to said first rod means, each of said first rodshaving different lengths with the smallest difference in length beinggreater than the travel of the rod means when actuated, said push rodson each spanner element having a complementary length with respect tothe other push rods to bring the operative ends of the push rods to thesame horizontal level under the keys.
 2. The combination of claim 1wherein said first rod means are vertically adjustably secured to saidspanner elements.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein all of saidfirst rod means dwell in the same vertical plane.
 4. The combination ofclaim 1 wherein an adjustable stop means is secured to each of saidpedals to limit the depression of said pedal.
 5. The combination ofclaim 4 wherein a return spring is operatively secured to saidadjustable stop means to return said pedal from its depressed position.6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said connection means comprises ahorizontally disposed rod adjustably secured to the lower end of each ofsaid first rod means, said horizontally disposed rod being verticallyadjustably secured to said foot pedal.
 7. The combination of claim 1wherein said horizontally disposed portion is laterally offset withrespect to the longitudinal axis of said first rod means.